From camera clicks to screams… passengers who survived the Vietnam boat accident told a horrifying story.

Knews DeskThe tragic tourist boat accident that occurred on Vietnam’s Phu Quoc island has left many families in deep shock. On Saturday, July 11, 2026, 15 Indian tourists died when a tourist boat capsized in the sea. A total of 36 people were on board the boat at the time of the accident, which included 32 Indian tourists and 4 local crew members. 21 people were evacuated safely during relief and rescue operations.

Recalling that horrific moment, the passengers who survived the accident said that till a few minutes ago everyone was enjoying the journey, taking photographs and capturing the beautiful views of the sea on camera. But suddenly a big wave changed everything and the atmosphere of happiness turned into screams.

A sudden wave came and the boat capsized

Murugaraj, a resident of Tamil Nadu, said that the boat had reached about 2 kilometers into the sea, when suddenly a strong wave came. Due to the wave, the boat tilted to one side and within no time the passengers started falling on top of each other.

He told that after the boat capsized, the passengers trapped inside had to struggle to get out. Some people came out through the window and tried to save their lives by holding the railing of the boat. According to Murugaraj, the rescue team reached the spot within a few minutes of the accident, due to which the lives of many people could be saved.

Was taking pictures, then life changed

48-year-old Ashish Kumar, resident of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, narrated his eyewitness account of the accident. He said the tourists were taken in different groups to tour the island. The accident occurred at around 1:30 pm local time.

Ashish told that at that time the passengers were taking pictures of the beautiful views of the sea and the surrounding areas. The boat had just covered some distance when suddenly it overturned. No one got a chance to understand anything and within a few moments the happy journey turned into a terrible accident.

Danger increased due to high waves in the sea

Nirmal Kumar, another passenger from Tamil Nadu, said that there were very high waves in the sea at the time of the accident. He feared that the balance may have been disturbed due to bad weather or high number of passengers in the boat. However, officials have not yet confirmed the official cause of the accident.

According to the information, this trip was organized by mobile company Lava Mobiles as a reward trip for its better performing dealers and distributors. After receiving information about the accident, the company contacted the Indian Embassy and the local administration. Lava Mobiles issued a statement saying that its teams in India and Vietnam are in touch with the affected families and all possible assistance is being provided to them. The company is also assisting in the process of bringing back the bodies of the deceased to India.

Preparations to bring dead bodies to India

The Indian Embassy in Hanoi said that 10 people from Tamil Nadu, 3 from Andhra Pradesh and 2 from Kerala have died in the accident. The respective state governments, along with the Central Government, are working towards bringing back the bodies of the deceased to India soon and providing assistance to the families of the victims.

The Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy are continuously monitoring the situation and necessary steps are being taken to help the affected families. Phu Quoc is the largest island of Vietnam, famous worldwide for its beautiful beaches, coral reefs and island tours. Every year a large number of Indian tourists come here to visit. This accident has once again raised questions regarding security arrangements and safety of passengers during sea tourism. At present, officials are conducting a detailed investigation into the accident so that the exact cause of the accident can be found out.